The Old Switcharoo…

This is a sad post as well as a happy one.  Starting with the sad, last Saturday we parted company with Booster who is pictured here on the left.  He hasn’t died or anything, it’s not that sad a story!

I have been contemplating the idea of acquiring a nice breeding male for quite a while.  I have always been a little disappointed that Booster was never a good handler.  As much as my kids would have liked to hold him even on rare occasions, he was never a boy I could trust to be calm.  He was never a biting risk or anything.  He just didn’t like to be handled.  Plus of course, his colouration was not of the same standard as Lolly’s.

Recently, a very nice looking male that was for sale came to my attention as well as a young man looking to get started in reptile keeping.  Combine the two and we arrive at today.  On Saturday last weekend, Booster was handed over to his new keeper.  I was happy to help a young guy starting out and I am confident that Booster will be in a good home.  He was a sleepy Dragon when I parted company with him, but, in spring, I know he’ll wake up as good as ever.

Today, I was able to take possession of our new ‘stud’ male.  I have named him Beau, after the Black and Gold Dragon in the animated series Dragon Booster, from which Booster got his name.  In the series, Beau is the Dragon of Legend and is in fact named after Bucephalus who was the famous steed of Alexander the Great although that is not referenced in the TV show.  JT has contributed what may stick as his second name ‘Double O’.  I am not sure how long Beau Double O will stay, but, Beau is definitely finalised.  Beau is pictured here on the right.

I brought Beau home around lunch time today.  He had been rudely disturbed from his attempts at brumation to be brought to me and took some slow measured investigations of his new enclosure.  It was quite enjoyable watching him slowly and methodically check things out.  What was even more pleasing was his calm nature as I was handling.  It could have been partly because of his sleepiness and temperature, but, in contrast, in the same state, Booster was still trying to leap out of my hand on the weekend.  By all reports Beau is a great handler and I am exceedingly pleased about that.

By the time I got home from work today, Beau was fast asleep in Booster’s old hide rock looking like he was made for it.  I am not sure that I will even turn the light on tomorrow, as if he is settled back to sleep, I’ll just leave him to it.  What a great transition that would be.  A new home after being woken up from a deep sleep and the possible stress that comes with both and Beau going straight back to sleep tells me that the transition could not have gone better.  Now all I have to do is wait until spring to really get to know him!